Game device and impeller therefor



May 20, 1941- E. B. GOTTLIEB E1- AL 2,242,909

GAME DEVICE AND IMPELLER THEREFOR Filed Nov. V24, 1959 INVENTORs QL-'MAA/ua B. Garn/5 8 MAR/a .A 55.5022/ ATT RNEY5 Ratented May 20, 1941 "tres GAME DEVICE AND IMPELLER THEREFR Application November 24, 1939, Serial No. 305,754

4 Claims.

Our present invention relates generally to game devices, and has particular reference to an apparatus in which there is at least one freely rotatable disc intended to be spun and then allowed to 'come to rest during the playing of the game.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide certain improvements in the means for spinning or rotating the disc.

Our invention is not necessarily restricted to the playing or" any particular game, but it is particularly suitable for -that type of game in which an image of the rotating disc is to be thrown onto a screen so that a relatively large audience may observe it as it spins and ultimately comes to rest.

We have therefore chosen to illustrate our invention in the form of a device adapted to be used in theatres or similar places, the device being intended for association with a suitable projecting machine by means oi" which an enlarged image of the rotating disc may be thrown upon a screen.

In devices of this general kind, as heretofore used, the spinning of the disc has been brought about by means of an impeller of manually actuated character thereby requiring a person in the projecting room to perform this function. It is a general object of our present invention to obviate this disadvantage and to provide a device which is capable of remote control. More particularly, our invention is of such a character hat the director of the game who may be standing, for example, on the stage of a theatre, or

in one of the aisles, is enabled to actuate the impeller to set the disc into spinning condition. In fact, it is contemplated that members oi the audience may be called upon to set the disc spinning.

In accordance with our invention, the impeller is electrically controlled, and in a preferred enibodiment of the invention we associate a solenoid with the device, the movable core of the solenoid being articulated to the disc-impeller in a novel manner.

Other objects of the invention lie in the provision of a device which is compact and workmanlike in structural nature, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and simple and reliable in its operation.

We achieve the foregoing objects, and such other objects as may hereinafter appear or be pointed out, in the manner illustratively exempliiied in the accompanying drawing, wherein- Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view through a device of the present improved character; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional View taken substantially along the line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 3 3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary View, taken in the same direction as Figure 1, showing a series of steps in the operation of the device;

Figure 5 is a View similar to Figure 4 showing a further series of steps;v and Figure 6 is an exterior view of the device on a reduced scale. v

In the device herein illustrated, a substantially flat casing it, of any suitable material such as metal, is provided with spaced transparent walls l l and I2. These may be substantially rectangular in shape, and are preferably mounted in frames I3 and lll which form removable portions of the casing. Any suitable markings may be imprinted on one or both of these Walls.

Mounted between these walls, for free rotation, is at least one disc which is intended to be rotated. In the illustrated embodiment we have illustratively shown two discs I5 and it mounted in parallel concentric relation on a pivot il carried by the wall H, but it will be understood that these discs are independent of each other, so far as their free rotation is concerned, and that it is immaterial from the standpoint of our invention, whether there is one disc,.or two or even more such discs. Accordingly, in Figures 4 and 5, and elsewhere in this specication, reference will be made to only a single disc and tothe manner in which it is spun.

The end portion of the casing is caused to acsume a substantially cylindrical shape as indicated at I8, and within this portion of the casing we mount a solenoid I9 whose movable core 2B is arranged in a substantially radial direction with respect to the disc l5. The solenoid may be held in position in any suitable or desired manner, and we have illlustratively shown a screw-threaded end closure 2| which can be removed if access to the solenoid is desired. Lead Wires 22 may conveniently pass through an opening in the closure 2l, it being understood that these wires connect with opposite ends of the solenoid coil, and are intended to be connected on the outside with a suitable electric circuit which controls the energization and deenergization of the solenoid.

The solenoid core 2@ is intended to be normally held in one or another of its end positions, and we have illustratively shown a yieldable means such as the coilspring 23, arranged underneath the core 2U to hold it normally in the relatively elevated position shown in Figures 1 and 2. This means that, in the illustrated device, the energization of the solenoid I9 brings about a movement of the lcore 20 in a downward direction, as viewed in Figures 1 and 2, against the action of the spring 23.

At its free end, the core 20 is articulated as at 24 to one arm of a bell-crank lever 25 mounted for swinging movement on a pivot 26. This pivot is carried, in any suitable manner, .by the casing, and serves `as a iixed pivot about which the bell-crank lever 25 is adapted to rock.

On the end of the other arm of this lever, we mount a bendable resilient linger 21, which may be composed of rubber or equivalent material. This linger is thus mounted for movement in the plane of the disc I between two end positions. One end position is the normal position of rest, and is shown in Figure 1. It will be observed that the linger 21, when in this position, lies entirely out of contact with the disc I5. The other end position is shown in full lines in Figure 4. In this position, an abutment 28, Iarranged on the interior of the casing, is encountered Vby the bell-crank lever 25.

IIhe lever 25, the nger 21, and the pivot 26, are so arranged that when the linger 21 moves from one end position to the other it encounters and snaps past the edge of the disc I5. This is shown most clearly in Figures 4 and 5. In Figure 4, the lever 25 is shown, by dotted lines, in the act of swinging in a lclockwise direction from the -normal position of Figure 1 to the end position shown in full lines in Figure 4. This is the swinging movement which is brought about by energization of the solenoid. It will be observed that the finger 21, which is normally straight, iirst encounters the disc I5, then deiiects, and finally snaps past the edge of the disc I5 into the full line position of Figure 4. It will also be observed that .the finger 21, when in the end position shown in Figure 4, remains in contact with the edge of the disc I5. In this way, there is a slight counter-clockwise rotation of the disc, through an almost imperceptible arc of a few degrees, but the disc is not Yset into rotation. This slight counter-clockwise movement of the disc I5 may be observed from the drawing by comparing the positions of the marker 29 (imprinted on the disc I 5) in Figures 1 and 4; During the return swing of the lever 25, as indicated in Figure 5, the finger 21 again deflects, as shown in full lines in Figure 5, and then resumes its normally straight position ras it snaps past the edge of the disc I5 during its return to the position of rest shown in Figure 1. This counter-clockwise swing of thev finger 21 is` brought about by the spring 23, the moment that the solenoid is -deenergized During this travel of the linger, it imparts a sudden an-d sharp rotating Yimpetus to the disc I5, which sets the disc spinning at a rapid rate in av clockwise direction.

It will be understood that the disc I 5 may have any suitable markings such as that indicated at 29. We have illustratively shown some additional markings 30, and whatever markings are used, it

is intended that they willV bear a certain relationship or significance with respect to the fixed markings that may be imprinted on one or both of the transparent walls I I and I2. Those familiar with games of this general character will understand that it is the haphazard relationship of these various indications, when the disc iinally comes to rest after having been spun at a rapid rate, which affects the playing of the game. y

In use, the present device is associated with a suitable projecting machine, so that a beam of light is caused to pass transversely through the casing, i. e., through the walls II and I2, so as to throw upon a screen an image not only of the fixed markings on the walls II and I2, but also of the disc or discs that rotate between them. A suitable switch button, or similar instrumentality, is under the control of the director of the game for energizing and deenergizing the solenoid I9 Preferably, the director of the game carries a push-button switch mounted on a long cord, this switch being in a low voltage circuit which controls a suitable electric relay, the latter in turn controlling the circuit (of relatively high or commercial voltage) in which the solenoid is arranged. In this way, pressure upon the control button, either by the director of the game or by one of the audience, or by any person at a relatively remote point, causes the bendable nger 21 to move rapidly into the position of Figure 4, and release of the button thereupon allows the spring 23 .to push the linger 21 back to its normal position of rest, and in doing so, to set the disc into rapid rotation.

In general, it will be understood that changes in the details, herein described and illustrated for the purpose of explaining the nature of our invention, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. It is, therefore, intended that these details be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limi-ting sense.

Having thus described our invention and illustrated its use, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In a game device including a freely-rotatable disc, an impeller comprising a bendable resilient finger mounted for movement in the plane of the disc between two end positions, the iinger being so mounted that when it moves from one end position to `the other it encounters and snaps past the edge of the disc, a solenoid, and a bellcrank lever mounted on the device carrying said inger and articulated to the core of said solenoid, whereby the latter controls the movements of said finger.

2. In a game device of the character described, a casing, a disc mounted for free rotation within said casing, an impeller comprising a bendable resilient finger mounted in said casing for movement in the plane of the disc between two end positions, the linger being so mounted that when it moves from one end position to the other it encounters and by deflection snaps past the edge of the disc, a solenoid mounted in said casing with' its core arranged substantially along a radius of the disc, a bell-crank lever mounted in the casing and carrying said finger and articulated to said solenoid core, whereby movements of the latter control the movements of the finger, a spring constantly acting upon said solenoid core to urge the nger into one of said end positions, said end position being a normal position of rest in which the linger lies entirely out of contact with said disc, the other end position of the finger being one in which the iinger remains in contact with the disc, and an abutment adapted to be encountered by the bell-crank lever when the finger reaches said last-named end position.

opposite end of the casing and having the core thereof extending lengthwise of the casing, a bell-crank lever pivotally mounted in the casing intermediate the disc and solenoid and having one arm thereof pivotally connected with the core for actuation thereby, and a b-endable resilient nger carried by the other arm of the bell-crank lever in position to engage the edge of the disc and rotate the same upon actuation 20 of the bell-crank lever.

EMANUEL B. GOTTLIEB. MARIO A, BESOZZI. 

